Rotary power knife



May 28, 1940 .1. c. BROWN ROTARY PQWER KNIFE Filed July 26, 1938 Patented May 2s, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT ortica- 1 Claim.

This present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a rotary power knife.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a rotary power knife which is of generally improved and simplified construction and increased efficiency.

The invention has for another object the provision of a rotary power knife of the character stated which is particularly adapted for Skinning animals and performing similar work.

The invention has for a further object the provision of a rotary power knife of the character stated which may be readily held and manipulated by one hand without danger of the hand coming in contact with the rotary blade of the knife.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a rotary power knife of the character stated in which the rotary blade of the knife is supported in one end of a two-part or longitudinally divided casing, a portion of which serves as the handle of the knife and all of the blade enclosed and protected except the working portion at the lower side of the casing.

The invention has for a still further object the y provision of a rotary power knife of the character stated which is composed of the minimum number of parts, of simple and inexpensive form with the parts arranged for assembling in such a manner that the complete rotary power knife may be manufactured at small cost and retailed atA a popular price with good profit, thereby providing a commercially attractive proposition.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described, when reference is had to the drawing, forming a part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of the complete device;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotary power knife with the operating parts thereof broken away;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4 is a detail transverse section, taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a detail transverse section, taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 ofv Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrc-ws; and

Figure 6 is an elevationof a slightly modified form, with the operating means broken away.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it is to vbe noted that the device includes a rotary knife blade II which rotates concentrically ona stub shaft i2 and is fastened by rivets I3 or other appropriate means on one face of'a Worin wheel I4 which alsoi rotates on the stub shaft I2 and is driven by a drive worm I5 on the rod I6, near the forward end of the latter. The rear end of the rod I5 is connected by a clutch connection I'I to one end it of a flexible drive shaft I9 operating in a flexible hose and driven by an electric motor 2l swung in a suspending bracket 22 and having power wires 23 or the like connected thereto for supplying power to operate the motor 2|.

A two-part casing is provided for the knife blade II and the rod I6 and the parts directly associated therewith, the casing including longitudinal halves 2li and 25 secured together by removable transversely extended screwsfZE or other. appropriate means. The casing half 24 has an enlarged and rounded forward end 2l in which operates the circular knife blade II, the stub shaft I2 being extended transversely through this portion 2l of the casing half 24 and the opposite portion 28 of the casing half 25. 'I'hese portions 2l and 28 of the casing have their lower sides open to expose the working portion of the knife blade I I and permit free use thereof. An arcuate guard member 29 is extended downwardly and curved rearwardly from the lower side of the casing half Z4, just back of the cutting edge of the knife blade II to prevent the fingers or hand of the operator from coming in contact with the knife blade ll, during use of the device. The casing halves 24 and 25 have opposed and registering transverse partitions 3l) with openings v3| therein to accommodate the rod I 6 and thus permit the partitions 3@ to serve as bearings for said rod IS. The forward end of the rod I 6 is rotatably mounted in the straight front wall portions 32 of the casing halves 24 and 25. The flexible hose 20 has an annular flange 33 on its forward end just within the closed rear ends 3d of the casing khalves 2li and 25. The casing halves 24 and 25 have roughened surfaces 35 on their outer side faces whereby the casing may be readily and firmly gripped as a handle during use of the device.

In the modified form disclosed in Figure 6, the guard member 29a is located a little farther rearwardly of the knife blade I I and the enlarged and rounded forward end 21a of the casing half 24 is continued downwardly and rearwardly so as to expose a small portion of the knife blade cutting edge I I. In this form a skin penetrating pointed member 36 is secured on the forward end 28 of the casing half 25 and extended so as to project in front of the cutting edge of the knife blade II for penetrating and ripping open the skin just in front of the blade Il as the device is drawn rearwardly. It is apparent that the forward end 21 of the casing-half 24 may be varied in design so as to cover over and protect more or less of the cutting edge of the knife blade I I, as desired.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be manifest that a rotary power knife is provided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different vembodiments of the invention, may be constructed Within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A rotary power knife including a casing formed of substantially hollow longitudinal side halves, the interior of each half of said casing having spaced transverse struts, one of said halves having a blade-guard member curved downwardly and forwardly from its forward end and projecting below the longitudinal axis of said casing, a shaft supported in said guard member below the longitudinal axis of said casing, a rotary blade supported on said shaft, and a gear secured to said blade, a driving shaft supported in said casing, the struts on each half of said casing forming bearing supports for said shaft, a Worm gear fixed to the forward end of said shaft and engaging the first-mentioned gear, and operating means for driving said shaft extending into the rear end of said casing and operatively connected with said shaft, said casing having a handle portion extending rearwardly from said guard, and being curved longitudinally rearwardly and upwardly with respect to said guard and the axis of the shaft, said casing having a guard for the lower edge of said blade integrally formed with said casing, extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and a rearwardly projecting ripping blade fixed to said casing adjacent said rotary blade.

JAMES CEICIL BROWN. 

